Andrew Little insists new figures on the number of mental health beds don't tell the full story.

Data released to National shows there are 608 beds in acute mental health services, the same number as there were in 2017.

That's despite investing $1.9 billion in the mental health sector over that period.

The Health Minister told Mike Hosking much of the money has been spent on increasing the mental health workforce, to provide more support to more people when mental health issues first emerge.

"Addressing people's mild issues means they don't get acute," he says.

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